Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki has said he appreciated Egypt’s support in helping lift UN sanctions on his country, following a recent thaw in tensions between Asmara and its neighbours.  

Afwerki said he valued Egypt’s stances on stability in the Horn of Africa, reflected in the lifting of sanctions from Eritrea in 2018, according to an Egyptian presidential statement.

Afwerki arrived in Cairo on Saturday for a visit, meeting with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

In 2018, the UN lifted a nearly decade-old arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Eritrea after a rapprochement with Ethiopia and a thawing of relations with Djibouti, years after they were imposed following accusations that Asmara was supporting armed groups in Somalia.

Afwerki hailed Egypt’s pivotal role in pushing development and preserving peace and security in the continent, stressing the ties between the two countries.

El-Sisi also hailed relations between the two countries, according to the statement, stressing the strategic cooperation with Eritrea in various fields as well as the sustainable partnership at a bilateral level.

He also stressed the two countries’ close coordination on issues related to the region and the continent, in light of Egypt’s chairing of the African Union this year.